England Team Discussion

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I think they're still the weakest of the semi finalist because of their inexperience, but fast forward 3 or 4 years and it's a different story.

I actually think England bat to 11. Plunkett has to be the best number 11 to have played international t20s.

Agreed but Plunkett isn't as consistent or well acquainted with the bat as Rashid and Ali but yeah, probably the best no. 11 out there.

I also agree with the lack of experience but tbh, guys like Ali, Rashid, Stokes, Buttler have such calm heads on their shoulders. If anything beats them, it will be a little xfactor from India.

 

[bigred]

On Monday, all of our attention will turn back to test cricket. What's everyone's team for Headingley?

Mine would be:

1. Cook
2. Compton
3. Vince
4. Root
5. Taylor
6. Stokes
7. Bairstow
8. Ali
9. Broad
10. Finn
11. Anderson

Vince will be a controversial choice. Particularly as his first class stats are modest. I just think this is the right series to take a ride on someone. We should win comfortably, so playing someone like Bell or Ballance would be a waste. Vince has done well for the lions for the last 3 winters. He's next in line for me.

Compton isn't my favourite player, but when I look down the list of potential openers, he really does seen head and shoulders above the rest.

Taylor has had an average start to his test career, but I think he's quality and should be given at least the whole summer to prove himself. Hopefully he does well, as he and Root are our best players of spin and we tour Bangladesh and India this year.

Bairstow stays for me. Matt Prior had a shaky start with the gloves when he first got into the team, but the selectors persevered with him and look what he did in his career. Buttler should be allowed to play a full part in the IPL and improve his one day skills, where he can be the best player in the world.

 

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Agree with Taylor being in the team, even if his returns aren't great yet but I just can't go with Bairstow. He has been tried a lot, with mixed results. Buttler is in terrific form and from what I have seen in international cricket, often times form in one format translates to form in another. The same mentality that England have approached their OD cricket overt he last year is how they should approach tests, not to mention this should be a series used to get Butler involved with the test squad.

 

[bigred]

Agree with Taylor being in the team, even if his returns aren't great yet but I just can't go with Bairstow. He has been tried a lot, with mixed results. Buttler is in terrific form and from what I have seen in international cricket, often times form in one format translates to form in another. The same mentality that England have approached their OD cricket overt he last year is how they should approach tests, not to mention this should be a series used to get Butler involved with the test squad.

1. Bairstow was brilliant with the bat in SA.
2. Buttler was really struggling in test cricket
3. I think it's better that Buttler plays in the IPL above a home series against Sri Lanka.
4. Buttler, a bit like Morgan, is so successful in limited overs cricket for his ability to hit the ball in unusual areas. These areas are often very fine if the wicket, where they'll be lots of catchers in a test match. This is why Andy Flower always felt that Morgan wasn't a successful test cricketer.


I think Buttler can come again, and perhaps the two of them can play in the team together. But right now, I think Buttler should establish himself as the best one day player in the world.

 

[dp458]

On Monday, all of our attention will turn back to test cricket. What's everyone's team for Headingley?

Mine would be:

1. Cook
2. Compton
3. Vince
4. Root
5. Taylor
6. Stokes
7. Bairstow
8. Ali
9. Broad
10. Finn
11. Anderson

Vince will be a controversial choice. Particularly as his first class stats are modest. I just think this is the right series to take a ride on someone. We should win comfortably, so playing someone like Bell or Ballance would be a waste. Vince has done well for the lions for the last 3 winters. He's next in line for me.

Compton isn't my favourite player, but when I look down the list of potential openers, he really does seen head and shoulders above the rest.

Taylor has had an average start to his test career, but I think he's quality and should be given at least the whole summer to prove himself. Hopefully he does well, as he and Root are our best players of spin and we tour Bangladesh and India this year.

Bairstow stays for me. Matt Prior had a shaky start with the gloves when he first got into the team, but the selectors persevered with him and look what he did in his career. Buttler should be allowed to play a full part in the IPL and improve his one day skills, where he can be the best player in the world.

Bell is almost certainly done, now as he is captaining Warwickshire.
The bowlers pick themselves, if Finn isnt fit, then the early red ball season form of Jordan, Woakes, Wood and Fottitt, will probably what they choose from.
Interesting to note is that Woakes has again been promoted up the order for Warwickshire in the pre season games, I think his international career will be as the Stokes replacement, with a potential shift up a place for the Wk and Moeen. Although if Sam Curran continues to develop he might overtake woakes as the back up seam bowling all rounder.

Again i think early season form will be what decides who bats at 2 and 3, i think Taylor will be retained at 5, and Bairstow with the gloves, as Buttler is in the IPL anyway.
Names to watch out for: Vince,Compton,Ballance, Hildreth, Gale, Hales

 

[bigred]

Bell is almost certainly done, now as he is captaining Warwickshire.
The bowlers pick themselves, if Finn isnt fit, then the early red ball season form of Jordan, Woakes, Wood and Fottitt, will probably what they choose from.
Interesting to note is that Woakes has again been promoted up the order for Warwickshire in the pre season games, I think his international career will be as the Stokes replacement, with a potential shift up a place for the Wk and Moeen. Although if Sam Curran continues to develop he might overtake woakes as the back up seam bowling all rounder.

Again i think early season form will be what decides who bats at 2 and 3, i think Taylor will be retained at 5, and Bairstow with the gloves, as Buttler is in the IPL anyway.
Names to watch out for: Vince,Compton,Ballance, Hildreth, Gale, Hales

Pretty sure that Gale and Hildreth are of an age now where they'd pretty much have to dominate county cricket to force their way in.

On Bell, I wouldn't be so sure. If the 2 and 3 problem aren't solved by the end of the SL series, he will definitely come into contention.

 

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1. Bairstow was brilliant with the bat in SA.
2. Buttler was really struggling in test cricket
3. I think it's better that Buttler plays in the IPL above a home series against Sri Lanka.
4. Buttler, a bit like Morgan, is so successful in limited overs cricket for his ability to hit the ball in unusual areas. These areas are often very fine if the wicket, where they'll be lots of catchers in a test match. This is why Andy Flower always felt that Morgan wasn't a successful test cricketer.


I think Buttler can come again, and perhaps the two of them can play in the team together. But right now, I think Buttler should establish himself as the best one day player in the world.

Plus Butler is a better keeper and Bairstow seems a bit stiff back there. Either way, these are good choices that England have.

However, you are overstating how good he was in SA. If you take away his single big innings his average is probably in the 30s. For someone with 24 tests, who has been given all the push possible, to only average around 32 is not good enough. Butler should at least be given a shot against the b side this summer. The reason England have done so well in limited overs cricket over a period of 12 months or so is because they have been willing to experiment and try new players. That same mentality must carry over to test cricket.

 

[CerealKiller]

If i was Morgan, i'd bring in Billings for Moeen Ali, which would relieve Buttler of the gloves and allow him to focus only on his batting, and use Root as a sixth bowler if needed.

 

[bigred]

If i was Morgan, i'd bring in Billings for Moeen Ali, which would relieve Buttler of the gloves and allow him to focus only on his batting, and use Root as a sixth bowler if needed.

Not sure about that. I like 6 proper bowlers in limited overs matches. Besides, Ali has the second best bowling record in the side behind Willey. He's done better than Rashid, so would be harsh.

 

[bigred]

If weather doesn't intervene, I'm predicting that England will win all 7 tests this summer.

Interesting question- should the selectors rest Stokes, Anderson, Finn and Broad if we're 2-0 up with one to play against SL. We could still have a seam attack of Woakes, Wood, Plunkett and Footitt so still wouldn't be bad.

 

[cricket_icon]

If weather doesn't intervene, I'm predicting that England will win all 7 tests this summer.

Interesting question- should the selectors rest Stokes, Anderson, Finn and Broad if we're 2-0 up with one to play against SL. We could still have a seam attack of Woakes, Wood, Plunkett and Footitt so still wouldn't be bad.

I thought the SL series was only 2 tests? 3 tests makes things more interesting.

But I do agree, England win all the matches this season unless there's a draw or two along the way.

In recent years, Pakistan have been atrocious travelers to England and SL are lacking Jaya and Sanga.

 

[Aislabie]

Alastair Cook
Nick Browne
Nick Compton
Joe Root
Ben Stokes
Jonny Bairstow
Moeen Ali
Adil Rashid
Stuart Broad
Steven Finn
James Anderson

12th man: David Willey

 

[bigred]

Alastair Cook
Nick Browne
Nick Compton
Joe Root
Ben Stokes
Jonny Bairstow
Moeen Ali
Adil Rashid
Stuart Broad
Steven Finn
James Anderson

12th man: David Willey

Do we really need 6 bowlers (2 of which are spinners) for home test matches? I like what I've seen from Nick Browne though. Good to see he did well down under during the winter.

 

[Aislabie]

Do we really need 6 bowlers (2 of which are spinners) for home test matches? I like what I've seen from Nick Browne though. Good to see he did well down under during the winter.

I just like to have the options available; Stokes isn't a Test-class bowler most of the time (although he is capable of world class spells on occasion, and is clearly improving all the time) and personally I always like to have spinners in the side. And it's not like it's coming at the expense of batting - there are still eight batsmen there, nine if Broad's form returns

 

[bigred]

I just like to have the options available; Stokes isn't a Test-class bowler most of the time (although he is capable of world class spells on occasion, and is clearly improving all the time) and personally I always like to have spinners in the side. And it's not like it's coming at the expense of batting - there are still eight batsmen there, nine if Broad's form returns

I disagree. I think it would come at the expense of the batting. In that team, Ali would barely bowl. Therefore he'd have to hold down a place as one of the best 7 batsmen in the country. He certainly isn't that.

Also, I think Stokes is a good test bowler currently, but will soon be a brilliant bowler.